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Drone Rules for Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Zimmerman, Minnesota (MN)
• United States
17076 293rd Ave NW, Zimmerman, MN 55398, USA
Lat: 45.4959 • Lng: -93.6914
Rules Edit History: Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:19 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Sherburne NWR with Minnesota's largest trumpeter swan nesting population, MSP Class B proximity check, and STC Class D context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within national wildlife refuges. The added context regarding the refuge's proximity to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and St. Cloud Regional Airport (STC), as well as the presence of Minnesota's largest trumpeter swan nesting population, enhances understanding of the area's drone flight considerations. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the restricted area.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | USFWS prohibits drones on Sherburne NWR northwest of Minneapolis. The refuge hosts the state's largest nesting population of trumpeter swans on the managed impoundments. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 0355410d-6907-48c8-8620-8b76ae87e56e |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Sherburne NWR, Minnesota **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located ~45 NM northwest of Minneapolis; Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) Class B outer ring extends ~30 NM from the city -- check LAANC for the exact boundary at Sherburne - Minnesota's largest trumpeter swan nesting population; incubating pairs are highly sensitive to overhead disturbance (April-June) - St. Cloud Regional (STC) Class D is ~20 NM northwest; B4UFLY consultation recommended for the Sherburne area ### Key Rules - Trumpeter swan nesting (April-June): USFWS enforces 600-ft lateral buffer from all occupied nests - LAANC check required for flights near STC Class D or any MSP Class B spillover into Sherburne County - USFWS Special Use Permit required; swan research permits require USFWS Midwest Region waterfowl coordinator approval ### Source - USFWS Sherburne: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne
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+ ## Drone Rules - Sherburne NWR, Minnesota + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located ~45 NM northwest of Minneapolis; Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) Class B outer ring extends ~30 NM from the city -- check LAANC for the exact boundary at Sherburne + - Minnesota's largest trumpeter swan nesting population; incubating pairs are highly sensitive to overhead disturbance (April-June) + - St. Cloud Regional (STC) Class D is ~20 NM northwest; B4UFLY consultation recommended for the Sherburne area + + ### Key Rules + - Trumpeter swan nesting (April-June): USFWS enforces 600-ft lateral buffer from all occupied nests + - LAANC check required for flights near STC Class D or any MSP Class B spillover into Sherburne County + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; swan research permits require USFWS Midwest Region waterfowl coordinator approval + + ### Source + - USFWS Sherburne: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne +